NFL is expected to expand the regular season schedule this week to 17 games. The league had played a 16-game regular season schedule since 1978, by far the longest stretch without a change in NFL history.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 28, 2021
The NFL is officially adding a 17th game to the 2021 regular season, meaning the Falcons will travel to Jacksonville to face off against the Jaguars. Here is a rundown of the NFC South/AFC South slate.
- New Orleans @ Tennessee
- Tampa Bay @ Indianapolis
- Carolina @ Houston
- Atlanta @ Jacksonville
The new league rule is decided by the cross-conference matchup from two years ago when the NFC South was slated to play all four teams in the AFC South (2019). The NFC teams facing off against their AFC counterparts will all be the away team in 2021. However, the home-conference will rotate each season with the NFC being home in 2022.
Here are Atlanta’s 17th-game opponents for the next three years.
- 2022: Home vs same place finisher (2021) in AFC West
- 2023: Away @ same place finisher (2022) in AFC East
- 2024: Home vs same place finisher (2023) in AFC North
